Some Answers to the Hard Questions from the Mortgage Prevention Focus Groups!
- Shari Loe
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
SOME ANSWERS TO THE HARD QUESTIONS FROM THE MORTGAGE PREVENTION FOCUS GROUPS:
Q: Are we really going to be “done” after this? Won’t there just be another campaign?
A: Not unless 1) we really need it and 2) you say so!
We cannot fundraise for more than the members approved. Right now, that’s limited to the remaining $300K.
The $300,000 is what remains after one single, multi-part Project. Not a series of separate ones (though we did hold separate votes for the pieces, as we determined the budget needed.)
Before this (long) campaign, MUUF:
Had not had a capital campaign for over 30 years. Lots of deferred maintenance!
Did not have a Capital Reserve fund – now we have money set aside
Did not have an administration and a Facilities committee staying on top of needed maintenance and repairs (no more deferred maintenance!)
Most non-profits have capital campaigns only every 10-15 years. Fellowship Members will decide if and when we need another one.
Q: Wasn’t a lot of the cost due to neighbors’ concerns and lawsuit?
A: Only about 11% of the total ~8.5M, of which we already raised $8.2
$275,000 was spent on Addressing public concerns to get Zoning approval (this was budgeted and approved; higher cost & took longer than expected, but within the approved contingency)
$660,000 was spent on legal fees –(NOT budgeted, but approved before incurred!) We did not pay a dime to the plaintiffs. They settled by agreeing we could exist in peace as long as we remained a religious institution and planted a few more trees, and agreed to a few minor use restrictions.
Q: Many members are tired of the constant emphasis on $$.
A: We hear you (and, we are, too!). BUT WE ARE SO CLOSE – WE CAN ALMOST TASTE IT!
(The alternative is to increase our budget by 10% so there’s no getting away from the pesky $$)
What you can do (besides donating $$):
HELP PROMOTE EVENTS OUTSIDE MUUF.
There’s an ad to share outside MUUF for the Stearns Matthews concert November 15! We welcome your ideas on to whom we should promote it!
We’ll do the same for the Gala Celebration and Art Sale February 28!
There will be discounts for both events if you bring a friend/non-member…
VOLUNTEER to
help with those events (PUBLICITY, SET UP, CLEAN UP, DONATE FOOD AND WINE)
help us make visits
come with new ideas! We already are pursuing one idea from the Focus Groups – stay tuned!
KEEP IT POSITIVE! When you hear people are tired, remind them we are soooo close to finished and then that will be that!!!
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